Automatic car-coupling.



J. GIROUX.

AUTOMATIC GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.6, 1912.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

Joseph Gtroux.

Inventor Witnesses:

WWW.-

Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,WASH|NOTON, D, c.

JOSEPH GIROUX, Q1 COWANS, QUEBEC, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLING.

Application filed December 6, 1912.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Uct. 14,1913.

Serial No. 735,293.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrn GIROUX, a

' subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Cowans, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car-Couplers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to automatic car couplers.

In order to more clearly disclose the construction, operation, and use of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the present application.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like reference characters designate the same parts.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the draw heads, embodying my invention, the right hand head being partly broken away to show the interior construction thereof; Fig. 2 is the same, showing the coupling closed; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a draw head and its draw bar, showing the special manner for mounting the same.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the draw head of rounded shape, provided with a rounded toe 2 and a pointed heel 3 connected by a semicircular inward curve 4 at the proximate center of the front face of the said draw head. The toe 2 of the draw head 1 is bifurcated in a horizontal plane, as at 2 Fig. 1, so as to permit a member 5 to be pivotally mounted therein, so as to rotate freely in the said toe 2. The bifurcation 2 is also extended partly around the adjacent side of the draw head 1 so as to permit the insertion and operation of certain locking means, to be described,'therein; as at 1.

The members 5 are composed of three inwardly curving arms equally spaced around their common center, provided on outer ends with knobs G of somewhat more than semicircular shape. The knobs 6 are cut on their outer faces so as to form a straight face 7.

In order to lock the member 5 against revolution, except in a forward direction as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, the straight face 7 of the members 6 is adapted to be engaged by the outer end of a block 8 pivotally mounted in the side of the draw head 1, and normally kept pressed against the outer face of the inner wall 9 of the draw head by the action of a bent steel spring 10 secured in the said draw head, the said spring being in contact with the outer face of the said block 8 as shown, for the purpose above mentioned. The curved face of the knob 6 is connected to the center of the member 5 by an inward semicircular curve 6 of the same diameter as the curve of the knob 6.

For releasing purposes, an eye 11 is secured to the block 8 near its outer end, through which is secured a rod or cable 12 operated by any suitable means. In order to prevent unnecessary shock during the operation of coupling and starting, this coupling is provided with a special mounting. The draw bar 13 of the coupling is slidably mounted in a guide way 14: provided with top lateral flanges 15 for securing the said member to the under face of the car. The guide way let is further provided with a slot 16 in each .ide, adapted to receive a block 17 integral. with the side of the draw bar 13 and slidably operating in the curved slot. A tension spring 18 is placed in the slot 16 with its outer end attached to the outer end thereof, and its inner en d attached to the outer end of the block 17. The tendency of the tension spring 18, as will be obvious, is to keep the draw head 1 extended from the rear of the car in a position for coupling. Also, during the operation of coupling, the tension of the spring 18 will to a great extent break the shock of each operation, and also when the train starts the spring 18 will act as a compression or cushion spring to breakthe shock. As the draw bar 13 is drawn forward, the block 17 will of course be drawn forward in the slot 15, thus com pressing the spring 18 and acting as a cushion spring as above stated.

The operation is as follows: The draw heads 1 being in the position shown in Fig. 1, are pushed toward each other, as indicated by the arrows. As the draw heads approach, the curved arms of the members 5 come into contact and cause the said members 5 to revolve inwardly, because of the inward curve of the arms. When one of the curved arms of each of the members 5 have been revolved into a. straight line with the approaching draw head, its outer end is brought into engagement with a leaf spring 19 secured to the heel 3 of the draw head 1, so as to extend horizontally a short distance from and in front of the outer face of the draw head. The leaf spring 19 is bent inward as the curved arm engaging it is revolved forward, until the point of engagement is inside of a straight line running from the pivot point of the member 5 to the point of engagement of the said arm and spring. When the arm reaches the above point, the spring 19 is released and throws the arms forward, so that the knobs 6 of the two said arms are received by the semicircular curve 6, of each arm resp ctively. In order to assume this interlocked position, the members 5 are revolved so that the inner arms of the said members are engaged by the pivotally mounted blocks 8, thus preventing any backward revolution of the said members, and also, so that the outer arms of the said members 5 overlap the outer faces of heel portions 3 of the draw heads, so as to prevent any lateral movement thereof.

The above interlocked position is clearly shown in Fig. To release the coupling, the block 8 is disengaged from the arm 6 by means of the rod or cable 12, as in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which leaves the member 5 free to rotate backwardly. Then the coupling may be easily pulled apart, as will be obvious.

lhe principal advantages of this invention are: simplicity of construction, the provision of locking means having arms so arranged that the inward and outward curve of one is adapted to receive the outward and inward curve of its interlocking arms, and the arrangement of the arms of the locking members so as to prevent any independent lateral movement of either of the draw heads, and also the provision of a spring which actuates and insures the proper locking of the coupling.

It is thought that the construction, operation, and use of the invention will be clear from the preceding detailed description.

Changes may be made in the construction, arrangement, and disposition of the several parts of the invention without in any way departing from the field and scope of the 50.1116, and it is meant to include all such within this application wherein only a preferred form has been disclosed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, two draw heads, interlocking members rotatably mounted therein and adapted to prevent lateral movement of the draw heads, spring pressed means for preventing reverse rotation of the said members, means for releasing the members, and spring means for throwing the members into interlocked position.

2. In a device of the character described two draw heads having horizontally bifurcated toes and forked heels connected by an inward curve, interlocking members rotatably mounted in the toes and adapted to overlap the heel portions of the draw heads, spring pressed blocks pivotally mounted in the heads and adapted to engage the interlocking members so as to prevent reverse rotation thereof, means for raising the said blocks so as to release the members, and springs attached to the heel portions of the heads and adapted to throw the members into interlocked position.

3. In combination in a device of the character described, two draw heads having horizontal bifurcated toe portions, interlocking members rotatably mounted in the said toe portions and comprising curved radial arms connected to a common center and of such length and curvature that when in interlocked position, the other arm of each mem ber overlaps the opposite draw head, spring pressed means for preventing reverse rotation of the said members, spring means for throwing the members into interlocked position, and means for releasing the interlocked members.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH. GIROUX.

YVitnesses Maonanm MANETTE, J. N. Lonnrn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). C. 

